Karnataka - Mangalore   

Ullal: BJP confident of victory

Special Correspondent

The entry of JD(S) candidate into the election fray will work in our favour, says Nagaraj Shetty

MANGALORE: Even as Ullal is expecting to see a clash between two "secular" parties on June 2 when the byelection for the Assembly constituency will be held, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata appear to be happy over what they see as the increased chances of the party's victory in the election.

`Right mix'

The campaign in charge of BJP for the election and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister B. Nagaraj Shetty told The Hindu that the dynamics of this election was working out towards an eventual victory of the party candidate Chandrashekar Uchil. The size of the electorate was just right to bring out a right mix of votes for the party, he said.

The entry of Janata Dal (Secular) candidate into the fray has increased the chances of BJP doing well, Mr. Shetty said.

Of the 1,69,770 voters in the constituency, 55,000 are Muslims, about 9,000 are Christians and the rest belong to backward classes, Hindu "upper castes" and OBCs. BJP is targeting the third group which has the largest number of voters.

Split

With Congress and Janata Dal (S) fielding Muslim candidates — U.T. Khader and Aboobacker Natekal respectively, BJP is sure that the Muslim votes will be split, according to president of the district unit of BJP Monappa Bhandary. Janata Dal (S) leader Hyder Parthipady, who hails from Ullal, is influencing the Hindu voters in favour of Mr. Natekal, a newcomer.

`Will defeat both'

However, the State unit secretary of Janata Dal (S) M.B. Sadashiva told The Hindu that the party was in the fray to defeat both Congress and BJP and not to pass on the advantage any other party.

The last day for withdrawal of nomination for the byelection is Friday.

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